Eighteen payers are exiting the Medicare Advantage market for 2027, according to CMS data. Ten of the eighteen are owned entirely or in part by health systems. Several other payers will stay in MA next year only through special needs…
Medicare Advantage
CMS lifted an enrollment freeze for two contracts under eternalHealth, a Boston-based Medicare Advantage insurer, on Oct. 7. The agency imposed the freeze Aug. 27 after determining eternalHealth’s conduct “poses a serious threat to enrollee health and safety.” Earlier that…
CMS is pitching new guardrails for pharmacy benefit managers and Medicare Advantage plans under a proposed rule released Oct. 16. The proposed rule would implement sections of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026. Comments are due Dec. 15. Here are…
CMS released 2027 Medicare Advantage star ratings on Oct. 8, giving more insight into the MA landscape beyond health plans’ marketing materials. Contracts receive a rating each year, ranging from one to five stars. The ratings help beneficiaries compare plans,…
Roughly 1.1 million Medicare beneficiaries have signed up to access discounted GLP-1s through CMS’ Bridge model, HHS Chief Counselor Chris Klomp said during an Oct. 7 Wall Street Journal event. The pilot launched July 1, rolling out to Medicare Part…
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Humana has pulled off a Medicare Advantage star ratings turnaround, with 95% of the insurer’s members in plans rated four stars or higher for 2027, compared to 20% a year ago. “I’m grateful for what our team accomplished this year,…
Fifteen Medicare Advantage plans earned five-star ratings for 2027, down from 22 last year. CMS released the ratings Oct. 8. Of the 508 contracts that were rated, 188 (37%) earned four stars or higher, compared with about 44% in 2026. About…
Thirty-two Medicare Advantage contracts received 2.5 stars or lower in CMS’ 2027 star ratings, up from 23 last year. The agency released the ratings Oct. 8, which will determine quality bonus payments for 2028. The enrollment-weighted average MA star rating…
Philadelphia-based Independence Blue Cross is adding Keystone 65 Assured HMO, a Medicare Advantage plan with a $0 monthly premium, to its 2027 lineup ahead of the annual enrollment period, according to an Oct. 7 news release shared with Becker’s. For…
SCAN Health Plan has been expanding its co-branded Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, including through a partnership with Walmart. Walmart and SCAN are launching the SCAN Walmart Health Advantage HMO and SCAN Walmart Medicare Complete Chronic Special Needs Plan, also…